Church of Advanced Technologies
The Church of Advanced Technologies is a religion founded in 1990 by one Fred Ulrich, intended as a way to disguise education about new and blossoming technology under the guise of religious practice. It is marketed as a branch of Christianity, however it follows a system of worship more comparable to various satanic cults. History Despite the lack of theologians that accept the CAT as a legitimate religion, research into it is hotly debated. The 90's Kids The 90's were a very bizarre time, especially in the CAT. Its founding was rocky, with not too many students selecting it over even the traditional program at Lakewood. After several years, the CAT finally began to gain some traction. The program instilled good moral values while also producing some of the most tech-savvy students in the state. The religion was more strictly enforced back then, creating an even greater degree of separation from the traditional program than there is today. The Millennium Silence However, the religion appeared to die down around the turn of the millennia. There were fewer active worshipers than there were when the program started. From about 2000 - 2016, the religion appeared to have dissipated. The CAT program was completely secular by now, going by the "Center for Advanced Technologies," a clever name so they wouldn't have to rebrand everything. This looked like the end of an era. The Last Generation In 2017, a fresh wave of students entered the CAT program, witnessing the final breaths of the Church. Dickman, the longest-standing member, was retiring after that year, and with Tencza soon to follow. The new students, however, stumbled across some old documents and decided to revive the religion. Although it is radically different from what it once was, the Church of Advanced Technologies is thriving. Practices Religious practices in the CAT range from a general reverence of CAT Instructors to idolization of fellow students or inanimate objects. The CAT's practices are as disorganized as a herd of cats, and about as unified too. There are, however, some core tenets. Tenets # The CAT program is the best that Lakewood has to offer, and should uphold reputation as such. # CAT Instructors should be revered and feared, lest their wrath will be incurred. # Do NOT break your tablet, and if you do tell Borg immediately. (This tenet was added more recently, almost immediately after tablets were introduced into the program.) Idolization is also a large part of the CAT. While Students are at the mercy of their Instructors, they also have the ability to store power within idols. Several examples of notable idols include the Ixavier stickers, Baby, and the Unit Circle Clock. While these idols may have no function, they do provide a strong sense of religious pride within the CAT. Which idols are acceptable is usually what divides people on the issue. Finally, the Instructors. They are the ones in charge of the school and Students, teaching classes and administering discipline when necessary. While every CAT Instructor is respected, the three that receive the biggest following are Tencza, Borg, and Mr.Schnell. These three are generally referred to as the Trinity.